In Kiev the Ukrainian and international experts discussed the Crimea situation

The 9th Kyiv Security Forum, organized by Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation held a discussion on “CRIMEAN TWILIGHT: HOW FAR WOULD "PAX ROSSICA" GO?” where Ukrainian and international experts discussed the Crimea situation.

In particular, as the General director of the Fund of National Strategies Taras Berezovets said, what had happened in the Crimea in 2015 had become a surprise not only for the majority of its’ population, but for many people in Ukraine as well.

“According to available data of Ukrainian and American intelligence services, there were clear signs that the regime of Yanukovych is working with Putin on annexation of the Crimea. In particular, in late 2013 they held a meeting at a military base in Russia, where Putin told Yanukovych what was happening in the Crimea and the Donbas, as well as the fact that Russia was getting prepared for the annexation of the Crimea even if Yanukovych would remain the President of Ukraine. This was to take place in 2015 during the presidential elections in Ukraine”, – noted T. Berezovets.

“The influence of Russian security services in the Crimea was obvious. The Sevastopol City Council and the Supreme Council of the Crimea where political powers under the leadership of S. Aksenov and V. Konstantinov (who had very low level of support in the Crimea) were able to seize power in the peninsula are the clear examples of this. For years, Russia’s political forces and intelligence agencies have been investing millions of dollars in the development of pro-Russian organizations in the Crimea”, –the expert added.

At the same time, the expert stressed that the annexation had been planned by Russia since the Soviet collapse in 1991: “In the coming years they freely distributed Russian passports in the territory of Crimea, which led to the fact that in 2014 at least 150 thousand people of 1.5 million population of the peninsula had Russian citizenship”.

“Today the problem of the Crimea is that after the events in the Donbas, many in Ukraine believe that the Ukrainians should not fight for the Crimea. In addition, the last two years showed little of the Ukrainian activity for the de-occupation of the Crimea. The established 

state institutions give no results, particularly due to the inconsistency of persons who are engaged in these issues. Europe itself also has no clear answer to the issue on the strategy of de-occupation of the peninsula,” – said T. Berezovets.

As for the future of the Crimea, in the opinion of the Ukrainian political scientist, its de-occupation is possible, but it may take 15 to 25 years.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

The annual international event Kyiv Security Forum launched by Arseniy Yatsenyuk Foundation Open Ukraine in 2007 is a platform for debate on the most pressing security issues in Europe and the Black Sea Region. 

Internet broadcast of the Forum:

9th Kyiv Security Forum (Ukrainian):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4bx8DXN4wk

9th KYIV SECURITY FORUM (ENGLISH)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEG5fdmhG2g